Aoun says negotiations may take time but are the only option

Negotiation with Israel is "safer than war, as we have witnessed and continue to witness the horrors and consequences of war," President Joseph Aoun said Monday.

"However, it will not solve the problem instantly; it is a process that requires time, and we have no other option," he added.

"Unfortunately, some consider negotiation to be surrender, but it is not. It is not a concession, but rather a solution to stop wars with the least possible damage," Aoun said.

Vowing not to back down from this choice, Aoun said Lebanese officials are "doing everything possible" to stop the war.

"Negotiations may be hindered or delayed in reaching our desired goal, but they are progressing. All matters are resolved through negotiation, however long it may take. War will not achieve a positive outcome for all parties involved," the president emphasized.

Rebuffing recent Israeli accusations, Aoun said the Lebanese Army had not declared the South Litani area as demilitarized and free of weapons prior to the current war.

"According to military terminology, the army established operational control over the region. Disarming the South will take time, given the geographical nature of this land, rich in mountains and valleys, and the army has fulfilled its duties in this regard," the president explained.

He also pointed out that the six rockets that were launched at the beginning of the war were from the area north of the Litani River, not the area south of it.

"We must also clarify that the Israeli side did not help to implement the ceasefire agreement, according to which Israel was supposed to vacate the five points it occupied, but it continued its military operations and shelling of villages under the pretext of self-defense," Aoun added.